Improvement in electric governors for motors, clocks



J. E. RETTIG.

ELECTRIC GOVERNOR FOR MOTORS, CLOCKS, &c.

IIIII Patented Dec. 5. 18-76.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()rrxon.

JULIUS E. RETTIG, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRIC GOVERNORS FOR MOTORS, CLOCKS, &c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 185,047, dated December5, 1876; application filed May 9, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JULIUS E. RETTIG, of thecity of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented a governor withan arrangement of parts which, in connection with a clock-work, willregulate the speed of any motor, watches, chronometers, 8210., of whichthe following is a specification:

The object of my invention is to compel a motor subjected to a variableload to run uniformly at the speed for which it was constructed, or, inother words, to make a certain number of revolutions in each succeedingminute. To obtain this, however, from a motor, two main points are to beconsidered: first, it is necessary that an instrument which keepsuniformly the required speed-as, for instance, a clock-work or achronometer-shonld exert an effect on the motor; second, it is necessarythat the force which drives the motor should be increased or decreasedin the same proportion as the load which the motor drives is diminishedor augmented. This is usually effected by regulating the motor-force bymeans of valves or expansion-gear.

The arrangement which I have invented makes the second requisitedependent on the first, and this is illustrated by the accompanyingdrawing. I

This invention consists in connecting amotor with an adjusted clock byelectric circuits, electro-magnets, and one or more pivoted levers,which by their action, due to the speed of the motor or that of theclock, will cause a clutch arrangement, by a lever or screw, to act uponthe admission-valve or expansiongear of a motor, so as to compel themotor to run precisely the same number of revolutions per minute as theclock makes electric contacts.

Figure 1 shows my invention in plan as connected to the shaft of amotor. Fig. 2 shows a sectional elevation on line S S. Fig. 3 shows anelevation of a combination of wheels, by which the valve of the motor isoperated, the power required to operate it being. derived from the motoritself. Fig. 4 shows the elevation of the lever M, and a section throughthe clutch, to show its connection with the shaft 12.

In ,Fig. 1, A represents the shaft of a motor,

which, by means of a metallic point, a, will close for an instant, aftereach revolution, an electric circuit, and thereby cause theelectromagnet B to attract the armature (J, which supports one end ofthe lever D. This lever will be pressed down on the brass block E by itsown weight, or by the action of a spring, and will close an electriccircuit, F G H I K L N O P, in order to produce an electromagnet at Q,which will attract the lever M. In the same manner as the lever M isattracted by the electro-magnet Q, it will be attracted by theelectro-magnet R and the electric circuit F G H U V W 'P, which isclosed by the lever X, through the action of a clock or a chronometer,which will close and open again an electric circuit once during the timeof one revolution of the motor-shaft, and thereby removes the support ofthe lever X. The lever M on the fulcrum b is provided at one end with aspring, 0, which maintains it in a central position between the twoelectro-magnets Q and R. The other end of the lever is connected with aclutch, which, in gear with either of the miter-wheels d or 9, willcause the third wheel f to revolve in one or the other direction. Themotion of the shaft '0, connected with the clutch by a feather, and onwhich both wheels (I and e are loose, is taken from the motor by a beltand pulley. The shaft 9 of the wheel f will operate the admissionvalveor the expansion-gear of the motor, causing an increase or diminution ofthe driving force, according to the direction in which the wheel frevolves. Suppose, now, the motor is running faster than the clock-work;it will then close the electric circuit F G H I K L N O P sooner thanthe clock-work, and consequently attract the lever M by theelectromagnet Q, thereby decreasing the driving force, and the motormust run slower. Should, on the contrary, the motor run slower than theclock-work, the latter will close the electric circuit F G H U V W O Psooner than the motor, and the lever M will be attracted by theelectro-magnet R, which will cause an augmentation of the driving force,thereby increasing the speed of the motor. If, however, the clock-workand the motor are running at the same speed, the levers D and X willboth drop at once on the brass block E, thereby closing the electriccircuit h i k l m n op, which produces an electro magnet at r. Thearmature s will be attracted, and this effects the breaking of the firstcircuit F P.

It will be readily understood that now no action will take place tochange the driving force of the motor, which therefore will continue torun at the same speed as the clockwork, until a change in the load or achange in the driving force occurs. The levers D and X, which are incontact with the brass block E after their action, are lifted up againby the electromagnets A and B, which will act as soon as a metallicpoint fixed at a convenient place on the motor-shaft closes the electriccircuit I II III IV V VI, in a similar manner as shown in Fig. 1, A.

My invention, as described, will therefore measure the diflerel-lce intime between one revolution of the motor and the time in which the clockwill make one electric contact, and acts during this difl'erence on thedriving force of the motor, thus compelling the motor to run at the samespeed as the clock. I

This invention may be also applied for regulating the speed of clocks,chronometers, or watches by a standard clock. In this application,however, the watch or chronometer to be regulated takes the place of themotor, from which, of course, no power can be derived to move theclutching arrangement, and therefore the pulley on the shaft 1) must bedriven by any other motor-for instance, by

a clock-work. The crank on the shaft g will, in this case, act upon theadjusting lever or screw of the watch or chronometer to be regulated.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of one or more pivotedlevers, D and X, which are disengaged by eleetro magnets, the circuitsto which are closed by the motion of the motor or clock, thereby causingone or more electro-n'iagnets, Q and R, to act upon a lever, M, of aclutch arrangement, which, by its connection, willact upon the.admission-valve or expansion-gear of the motor, all as specified.

2. The method herein described of breaking the current F P, consistingin the introduction of the electro-magnet r, and the closing of theelectric circuit h i k l m n op by the pivoted levers D and X.

3. The devices herein described for breaking the contact of the pivotedlevers D and X and the brass block E,consisting of an electric circuit,1 II III IV V VI, and one or more electro-magnets, A B, the circuit towhich is 'closed by the motion of the motor-shaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specificationdn thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JULIUS E. RETTIG. Witnesses:

PAUL J. PELZ, FERDINAND L. THEILKUHL.

